This invention relates to a visual display device, and an electronic solid state printer using a liquid crystal or electroluminescent display direct imaging strip in cooperation with a copy machine, to produce a finished copy.
More specifically, this invention relates to an electronic printer which uses either a liquid crystal transmissive display strip or an electroluminescent display strip with light pipe valves for direct imaging on a copy machine, whereby the electroluminescent or liquid crystal light pipe strip is scrolled in synchronism with the sweep of the copy machine to produce a printed copy.
Word processing machines, such as typewriters with stored memories first became available to the public during the middle 1960's. IBM Corporation developed the MTST Model having a single or dual tape drive, which was capable of receiving programmed information from a typewriter and allowing corrections to be made to the program before the final copy was typed. A number of other manufacturers, such as Remington, Redactron, Sabin, as well as IBM, also began producing magnetic card typewriters having single and dual card capability. The typed information was stored on one or more magnetic cards, and could be recalled by inserting the card into a card reader at any time. Suitable corrections could be made to the text of the card, so that the machines removed the necessity of expensive proof reading of the final material, once minor corrections were made to the original copy. More sophisticated word processing machines have also been developed, using a particular full-page CRT (cathode ray tube) display, such as the Vydec and Wang apparatus. This allow a full video display of the typed information before it is transcribed on paper.
There is also a Xerox 1200 Model, which consists of a binary-information-fed or serially-fed photocopy machine which, however, employs many moving parts, including a character-generating drum moving at high speed inside the selenium reproduction drum. The character drum works in combination with a photo-optical generator for reproducing the images on the reverse side of the selenium drum, so that they can be printed after suitable dusting and heat. The images produced by this Xerox method are blurred; and this differs from the present invention, which does not have any moving parts or any noise, since it is entirely electronic in its character generation.
Almost all of the above machines require the use of a mechanical printing device for transcribing the recorded information onto a printed page. Some of the word processing devices use a heavy duty IBM Selectric typewriter, whereas others use a high speed daisy wheel printer capable of printing approximately 500 words per minute. Newer printers are now available using an ink spray deposit method in an attempt to improve the speed of the printout. However, where a large number of pages have to be reproduced from stored information, the operator of the word processing machine remains idle for long periods of time until the mechanical printing device can complete the transfer of the information from a memory disc or tape to the printed page.
The conventional word processing machines also suffer from the disadvantage that the mechanical printers are subject to breakdown and require frequent repairs or adjustments during a heavy duty operation. The mechanical printing portion of the word processing machines also represents a substantial cost of the word processor, so that the price to purchase some of the conventional word processors runs between $10,000 to $18,000. Moreover, the average cost of typewriter ribbons for each mechanical printer runs between $200.00 to $500.00 per year, an expense that is eliminated by the present invention.